New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Insurance Policy for Agricultural Companies

Learning your agricultural company’s New Jersey Workers’ Compensation requirements is important, lest you risk facing fines for non-compliance and other consequences, like covering costs associated with a worker’s injuries.

Agricultural companies are held to the same Workers’ Compensation requirements as all other companies in New Jersey, meaning they must have insurance if they employ just one worker. Getting insurance is important for agricultural companies as they are at a higher risk of certain workplace accidents because of the responsibilities and tasks performed by their workers. When getting a policy, it is important to consider the flexibility of your insurer regarding premiums and find a plan that accurately covers all necessary agricultural workers employed by your company in New Jersey.

Agricultural companies can get a policy quote by calling (561) 990-3022 and consulting with the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers today.

New Jersey State Rules About Workers’ Comp for Agricultural Companies

In New Jersey, all agricultural companies typically have to purchase Workers’ Compensation policies. The rules regarding coverage are based on how many workers a company employs.

Throughout all of New Jersey, Workers’ Compensation is required for any company with at least one employee, regardless of industry. This also refers to agricultural companies in the Garden State. Workers’ Compensation has to cover all regular employees including seasonal workers, which are prevalent in the agricultural industry. Workers’ Compensation must also cover any undocumented worker in the agricultural industry in New Jersey. If an agricultural company hires an independent contractor, they do not need to be covered by the company’s Workers’ Compensation.

All necessary employees will be eligible for Workers’ Compensation from the date they begin working for a company. If employers are found to be without Workers’ Compensation, they will likely be fined. Fines can equate to $1,000 per uninsured agricultural worker. In addition to fines, agricultural companies might be given orders to halt operations because of non-compliance. This can cause agricultural companies to be unable to take care of their crops or land. It can also cause companies to miss crucial deadlines or properly service their clients.

The New Jersey Division of Workers’ Compensation might continue to harshly punish agricultural companies without Workers’ Compensation by making them reimburse the Special Compensation Fund for an injured employee’s benefits. Agricultural companies might also have to pay a fine of up to 65% of the total benefits given to a hurt worker.

Aspects About New Jersey Agricultural Companies that Make Them Risky for Workers’ Comp

Companies in the agricultural industry are at a higher risk of seeing workplace accidents. Certain aspects of this specific industry pose a considerable threat to workers in New Jersey.

Tools of the Trade

The tools used by employees of agricultural companies might increase their chances of being hurt on the job. Today, farming tools are high-powered and motorized. Plowing, cutting, and tilling all require tools and machinery that could cause a worker to lose a digit or limb during an accident. If poorly maintained, farming equipment could possibly explode, leading to serious burn injuries and expensive Workers’ Compensation claims.

Exposure to the Elements

Most workers in the agricultural industry work outside during the summer months. This means workers are underneath the sun, increasing their chances of becoming dehydrated or exhausted. Dehydration might lead to unintentional mistakes from workers, causing accidents that result in injury to many. To limit these types of accidents and injuries, employers should provide agricultural workers with plenty of water and require that they take regular breaks to rest and hydrate.

Manual Labor

Working in the agricultural industry involves a considerable amount of manual labor. Picking up heavy objects or tools might cause workers to sustain back injuries or other types of sprains in the neck, shoulders, or legs. Injuries caused by repetitive use of certain body parts or muscles are also common among workers in the agricultural industry, especially those responsible for gathering crops. The extreme manual labor required by employees of agricultural companies is one of the main reasons that these businesses are considered high-risk for Workers’ Compensation.

Getting Workers’ Compensation Coverage for New Jersey Agricultural Companies

Because agricultural companies are high-risk for Workers’ Compensation, employers might fear that their only option is to agree to expensive insurance premiums. Fortunately, that is not the case.

Over the years, our experienced Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers have formed relationships with carriers that are open to providing policies to high-risk companies, like agricultural businesses. This can allow you to have choice regarding policies, especially when considering your desired budget for Workers’ Compensation premiums.

When your company provides our brokers with the necessary information about its payroll, age, and history, our brokers can get your agricultural business a quote within a day. This can enable agricultural companies to get insurance quickly, especially if they are facing possible fines or stop-work orders for non-compliance.

To adhere to the New Jersey’s insurance requirements, agricultural companies will need to have an active Workers’ Compensation policy in place at all times. This means your company cannot start operations until it has acquired workplace liability insurance. And if your previous coverage has been dropped or has lapsed, you must get another plan immediately. Otherwise, you cannot legally operate in New Jersey.

When getting Workers’ Compensation, it is important that agricultural companies properly classify their employees and provide sufficient information about their responsibilities. If you misclassify workers, you might unknowingly exclude certain employees from your Workers’ Compensation policy, making your agricultural company non-complaint with New Jersey mandates.

Getting Workers’ Compensation is essential for virtually all companies in the agricultural industry. Noncompliance is in violation of the law and is often accompanied by severe penalties.

Call Our Brokers to Find Workers’ Comp Insurance in New Jersey

For more information about how our Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers can help your agricultural company, call NPN Brokers at (561) 990-3022.